Experts Expound

“Is a November ballot initiative on tax extensions feasible? That’s a possibility eyed by Brown, who thus far can’t pry loose Republican votes for his special election on the budget.”

Of course it’s feasible: you can get anything on the ballot with a few million dollars. The question is whether it is desirable. A June special election would be about extending the tax increases. A November election would be about reimposing tax increases that will have expired months before. The distinction is critical, which is why Brown has been pushing so hard for a June date.

If the governor would have just gone this route at the start he would be done collecting signatures.

After all this we are now moving to a November special election?  Jerry Brown – Winning!

Looks like Republicans only want to cut their way to a balanced budget. Fine. Let’s cut another $12 to $13 billion out of the current budget, and let’s start with every state-supported service in districts currently represented by Republican legislators. To characterize that bunch of mean-spirited, addle-brained, conniving, intellectually bankrupt coward as “morons” does a disservice to real morons everywhere. Not to sugar-coat it.

A November ballot initiative on tax extensions is certainly feasible. Especially given Chamber support for a June vote.  It is in many ways easier than giving away the store for five votes for June.  The danger is it will give California institutions less time to plan for another large set of cuts in this fiscal year.  The cuts they are making now are painful and have long-term consequences.  If they need to make more extensive cuts in lieu of tax extensions and revenue enhancements from them, it would be best to plan it now.  Recipients of state and local government services cannot live with Damocles sword over their heads for another six months. Curriculum planning by attritions, health care and no services to vulnerable populations are not really a good option for anyone.

This question is too depressing first thing in the morning.

Had a much better chance of success in June.  Start cutting, Mr. Governor.

It’s feasible, but certainly not optimal. The 2009 tax modifications will have expired, and we’ll be six months into a budget year before we can even start collecting.  Majority vote passage to a June ballot makes infinitely more sense, since legislative Republicans have forfeited any credibility to be constructive players.  But it only works if business groups drop their opposition to the majority-vote precedent.  Bottom line: circulating a November measure with meaningful reforms tied to backfilling a devastating all-cuts budget is probably the best of bad options right now – unless legislative Republicans are finally prepared to take YES for an answer.  

Andrew Acosta, A.G. Block, Mark Bogetich, Barry Brokaw, J Dale Debber, Peter DeMarco, Mike Donovan, Jim Evans, Kathy Fairbanks, Jeff Fuller, Rex Frazier, Ken Gibson, Evan Goldberg, Deborah Gonzalez, Sandy Harrison, Bob Hertzberg, Jason Kinney, Greg Lucas, Mike Madrid, Nicole Mahrt, Steve Maviglio,  Adam Mendelsohn, Barbara O’Connor, Bill Packer, Kassy Perry, Jack Pitney, Adam Probolsky, Tony Quinn, Matt Rexroad, Matt Ross, Roger Salazar, Dan Schnur, Will Shuck, Ralph Simoni, Sam Sorich, Ray Sotero, Garry South, Kevin Spillane, Robin Swanson, Angie Wei, Rich Zeiger